1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the operation and control of theatrical lighting systems for lighting design and performance. More particularly, the invention employs a local area network receiving control information from master consoles and other input devices and distributing that information through node controllers connected to the network with interfaces to lighting and effects control devices, such as dimmer racks, and remote monitoring and input stations.
2. Prior Art
Theatrical lighting for live performances and movie and television production continues to increase in complexity. A typical theater employs hundreds of separate lights and lighting systems for house lights, stage lights, scenery lighting, spotlights and various special effects. Typically, individual lights or groups of lights are controlled through dimmers, which are located at remote locations from the lights for environmental considerations such as noise and temperature control. Individual dimmers are mounted in racks, which contain power and signal distribution to the individual dimmers.
Control of dimmer racks has been provided through lighting consoles, which allow adjustment of individual dimmers. Recent advances in lighting consoles have allowed flexibility in the number and use of individual controls allowing ganging of slide controls for simultaneous operation, sequencing of controls for multiple light settings and memory of various setting requirements. Master control panels have previously been wired directly to dimmers being controlled or, as a minimum, to dimmer racks, which provide signal distribution to individual dimmers. Industry standards for communication between control consoles and dimmer racks has been established by the United States Institute for Theater Technology, Inc. ("USITT"). Multiplexed data transmission of information to dimmers from controllers using analog technology has been established by the USITT in a standard designated AMX192. Similarly, digital data transmission between controllers and dimmers has been established by the USITT in a standard identified as DMX512.
Slight modifications and additions to the DMX protocols and capabilities have been made by various industry members. Colortran, Inc., for example, employs a modified DMX protocol identified as CMX.
The AMX192 and DMX512 standards provide flexibility over direct hardwired systems for individual dimmer control, however, significant limitations on the number of dimmers which may be controlled and the flexibility and timing of the control signals are present in these industry standards. While wiring requirements have been significantly reduced, AMX and DMX systems still require direct hard wiring from controllers to dimmer racks, with consequent limitation as to physical location and severe limitations on flexibility of rearrangement of dimmer rack locations and controller locations, depending on changing theater needs.
The AMX and DMX dimmer and controller standards further do not provide the capability for interactive control with feedback from the dimmer systems to controller consoles at a level necessary for enhanced lighting design and real-time control.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by allowing control of a significantly expanded number of dimmers, while providing the capability for feedback control from the dimmers. Further, the system allows flexible placement of control consoles, monitoring devices and dimmer racks themselves, with minimal wiring requirements. The system remains downward compatible, allowing continued use of DMX and AMX hardware systems as elements of the network.